First Lady Jill Biden abruptly interrupted Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro during a discussion about her husband’s reelection bid, as revealed in a new book discussing efforts to conceal former President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race.
The Bidens met with Shapiro privately in Harrisburg on July 7, 2024, shortly after a disastrous debate against Republican candidate Donald Trump. This meeting is detailed in “The Original Crime,” co-authored by Alex Thompson and Jake Tupper.
During the conversation, Jill asked Shapiro, “How do you think it’s coming out?” regarding the campaign. Thompson and Tupper noted that the governor decided to be candid with her.
“To be honest, Mr. President, there are some concerns,” Shapiro responded.
He felt that the campaign wasn’t fully addressing the pain caused by inflation, noting that the President needed to effectively communicate this issue, which he hadn’t managed to do yet, according to the authors.
Shapiro mentioned that Biden attempted to respond to some of his worries. However, before he could elaborate, Jill Biden signaled that the discussion was finished.
“Imperfect,” the First Lady stated as she stood up. “We have to go.”
After their departure, Shapiro conveyed to the authors that the Bidens seemed resistant to acknowledging the harsh realities.
Just two weeks later, Biden withdrew from the 2024 election race and endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris. On November 5, Trump captured 19 major electoral votes in Pennsylvania, winning by over 120,000 votes out of nearly 7 million cast.
